Exhibits Intern (RMF)

Robert McCormick Foundation - Wheaton, IL; Wheaton (IL); On-site; USD 15,911 - 22,661; Part time

Job summary

The First Division Museum at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, IL seeks an Exhibits Intern to support artifact handling, exhibit labeling, and multi-media gallery updates. The three-month, part-time opportunity offers hands-on experience in museum exhibitions, with supervision and a structured orientation.

Ideal candidates are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree with interest in preservation, collections, and military history.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program (graduate students preferred).
• Experience in exhibition development, design, or fabrication.
• Museum collections management, care, and artifact handling.
• Comfort with challenging subject matter related to war and its history.
• Strong multi-tasking and time-management abilities.
• Detail-oriented, inquisitive and thoughtful.
• Team player with ability to work independently.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills for diverse audiences.
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Artifact rotations: select replacement artifacts, conduct object research, write label text, locate photos, coordinate with collections team.
• Graphic updates: research, write text, locate photos, and assist with label/graphic design layouts.
• Anniversary pop-up exhibits: assist in development and installation of two displays in 2019.
• Exhibition evaluation: conduct visitor surveys, observations, and analyze results.
• Duty First exhibition updates: edit content and upload photos to displays.
• Gallery maintenance: assist with upkeep of displays and equipment.

Skills

Exhibit design

Museum collections

Time management

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Written communication

MS Office

Education

Undergraduate or graduate degree program

Job description

Department:First Division Museum
Reports to:Exhibits and  Collections Processing Technician
Time Frame:May - July 2019
Compensation: $14/hr.

About the First Division Museum

The First Division Museum is a world class museum dedicated to American military history and specifically the history of the Big Red One, the famed 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. Located on the grounds of Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Illinois, our 38,000 square-foot facility includes 10,000 square feet of interactive and experiential exhibits. The museum has a wide variety of exhibits including life-size dioramas, Virtual Reality, and tanks found in the outdoor military park. The McCormick Research Center, located in the First Division Museum, is home to thousands of books, donated papers, photographs, and oral histories that tell the story of the 1ID.

Opportunity: Exhibits Intern

The First Division Museum offers a structured, formal internship program that provides exposure to specific departmental activities and museum-wide initiatives. This is an exciting opportunity to gain hands‑on experience in museum exhibitions including artifact handling and care, display research and labeling, pop‑up exhibit projects, and multi‑media gallery updates. We do our best to offer an experience that matches the interests of our interns with the priorities of our team at the museum. Each intern is given a thorough orientation, syllabus, is well supervised, and evaluations are completed by both the student and the supervisor at completion, ensuring a strong learning experience. Our past interns have a strong track record of moving on to successful careers. Ideal candidates have a strong interest in preservation, collections and exhibits, museum studies and operations more broadly, and/or military history. This is a part‑time position (approx. 20 hours/week) for three months from May through July 2019 that reports to the Exhibits and Collections Processing Technician.

Responsibilities

• Artifact Rotations: Assist with rotating artifacts in the permanent exhibitions. This includes selecting appropriate replacement artifacts, conducting object research, writing label text, locating photos, and working with the collections team on potential graphic and artifact layouts and mounts.
• Graphic Updates: Assist with updating artifact labels and exhibition interpretation graphics. This includes conducting research, writing text, locating photos, and working with the collections team on graphic design and layout.
• Anniversary Pop-up Exhibitions/Temporary Displays: Assist with the development and installation of two anniversary displays. There are two important 75 th Anniversaries in 2019: D-Day on June 6 th , 1944 and the Battle of the Bulge on December 16 th , 1944. To commemorate these important events we are planning special pop-up exhibitions and temporary displays. This includes conducting research, writing text, locating photos, working with the collections team on graphic design and layout, and final install.
• Exhibition Evaluation: Assist with follow up evaluations and surveys to the museum’s 2018 AASLH Visitor’s Count survey. This includes surveying visitors, conducting visitor observations and dwell studies, and tabulating and analyzing evaluation results.
• Duty First Exhibition Updates: Assist with Duty First gallery updates. The Duty First gallery tracks the 1 st Infantry Division’s history from post-Vietnam to yesterday. The use of technology and multi-media allow the gallery to be updated quickly and easily. This includes editing content and uploading text and photos to the various exhibit displays.
• Gallery Maintenance: Assist with maintaining the gallery and ensuring the displays and equipment are in good, working order.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program (graduate students preferred)
• Some experience in and knowledge of exhibition development, design, or fabrication
• Some experience in and knowledge of museum collections (management, care, and artifact handling)
• Comfort with subject matter that can be challenging and at times disturbing as it deals with war and its consequences
• Efficient and effective multi‑tasking and time management skills
• Detail-oriented, inquisitive, and thoughtful
• Team player, with the ability to work independently when needed
• Demonstrated passion for the Foundation’s values with commitment to deliver results measured against the Foundation’s mission
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and experience building relationships with multiple stakeholders by listening to new ideas, encouraging dialogue, and inspiring people to work towards common goals
• Excellent writing and presentation skills, particularly in communication with diverse constituencies in a variety of settings
• Basic computer skills including use of Microsoft Office Suite
• All offers are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check and drug screening

To Apply

Submit a resume and cover letter online here .

Cantigny Park and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, individuals with disabilities, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital and housing status.